


A bastard with horns

by Gxlyleo



Category: Daredevil (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Amora Marvel, Help, Hurt Frank Castle, M/M, Mentioned Loki bc why not, Minor Frank Castle/Karen Page, Minor Matt Murdock/Karen Page, Multi, POV Frank Castle, POV Matt Murdock, Past Frank Castle/ Maria, frank is a mess and so is matt, i don't know how to tag, it's pre relationship so it's almost platonic, they both need a vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:21:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28626405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gxlyleo/pseuds/Gxlyleo
Summary: When the dead start rising in New York City Frank Castle and Matt Murdock are force to work together, being confronted by their past and their awkward in-betweens.
Relationships: Frank Castle/Matt Murdock
Kudos: 31





	A bastard with horns

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even know how this came to be. It just sort of happen, hope y'all enjoy. 
> 
> Also no beta because it's 4am and I'm just feeling like posting something.

The Punisher and the Devil of hell kitchen didn't share much in common; they were both raised Catholic and...Well, that was it. There was also the small detail of loving the same girl. Nobody could blame them, after all Karen Page was not just any girl. Even at that, they love her very differently, as Frank tried to push his feelings away like they were the plague meanwhile Matt searched for them like a lifeline. Murdock needed Karen to ground him into his responsibility, to remind him what was worth fighting for. But when Castle was around her, he could only think of quitting, forgetting his thirst of ravage to settle for a life without a big mission.  
Funny enough Karen felt quite the same with both of them. If not for the difference that the men's personalities provoqued. Like- as if it was a small fact- one of them being a little too kin to murder and all that.  
Then there was the in-between; their relationship, if you can call it that. They fought one another every so often, sometimes almost murdering each other if it was an off night.  
In the middle there was nothing. At all. Or so they thought until Karen got in trouble.  
**  
The dead were rising. Or the news said so, Castle wasn't sure what they meant by that, but the nervousness tugging at his heart did. It wasn't so much about the couple of hundred dead folks that would certainly want him to join them, nah, Frank couldn't care less about them. The problem was in the ones he loved. The mere thought made his skin crawl, forcing the marine to sit down, resting his back against the alleyway wall, breathing heavily.  
It had been happening for weeks, people being suddenly ambushed by dead enemies, exes, or family. At the start nobody seemed to take it seriously, no wonder why, but now proof was starting to pill up, witness that saw someone's dead mum walking out of their house to then find their neighbor slaughtered on the kitchen floor.  
Because of course these weren't friendly ghosts.  
Frank knew eventually things were gonna catched to him, that was just his luck, he also knew if someone he loved- and lost- tried to kill him he would just let it happen.  
What he didn't wait for was for Karen to call. Castle almost missed it, too stuck in his own head.  
"Frank!" Karen shrieked from the other side.  
Castle rose to his feet, already moving, the blood racing thru his veins as he felt the horror filled his head.  
"Karen?"  
"Frank, he is here…" There were some loud noises coming from behind Karen's voice, her sobbing low enough to let Castle hear the mess she was in.  
"Who?"  
"Someone who- he...He should not be alive, Frank" She whispered the last words, almost like she was hoping nobody on the other side could catch them.  
"Where are you, Karen?"  
"My apartment," she cried, letting out a scream when something crushing "I locked myself in my bathroom but…"  
"I'm on my way" Assured Castle, schooling his voice not to show panic.  
"I can't kill him, Frank, I can't do that…" Page's voice took a new tone, fiercely and raw.  
"You won't have to. I'm five minutes away, you hear me? You stay there" His commands felt shallow and meaningless as Karen let out another gulp at the door slamming.  
"Okay," She whispered, her voice shaky "Please Frank"  
He hanged on her if only to move faster, flying across new york, his broad shoulders casually slamming against someone that would quickly curse at him, Castle didn't mind them, jumping into dark alleyways and climbing at fire stairs. It took him more than usual to sense the devil, lurking behind him, following his steps.  
"Karen needs our help, Red" He said, not slowing down, counting on the man's ears "we can fight later but now you gonna move your ass and help me"  
The devil was right at his side in what felt like seconds "I know, I heard it"  
"Snoop" Groaned Frank, the words slipping out of his mouth before he could keep them in.  
"You are loud" Said Red, almost as a matter of fact "It's probably her brother, you know"  
"I don't care who the hell it is,"  
"You should" Interrupted the devil, the mask shining under the moonlight "It would matter to you"  
Frank wanted to knock the fool right there and then, because who the hell he thought he was? Talking about Frank's… Talking about Frank. Period. Fucking snotty ass ninja.  
"You know better than to say shit like that, Red" The warning came out easily as he jumped from a rooftop to another, taking his gun out as they approached Karen's building. The bastard stayed quiet after that, simply following his lead. It always irked Frank how good they could work together, Red was attentive to his choices, fixing his own movements to follow suit, his feet light like air as he covered Castle's back like the latter meant anything but an inconvenience to him. It wired him up, hyper aware of his heartbeats, his sweating, even his fucking breathing, because the devil pick on all of those, reading them carefully. Fucking invasive if you ask Frank.  
Castle combat boots made a soft thumb as he kicked the rooftop open, he moved first, knowing damn well that Red would stop him if anything particularly bad was coming his way. They storm down the stairs, the devil jumping five steps at the time without missing a single one, Frank would usually roll his eyes but at the moment he was more worried about the girl being tormented by her dead brother.  
Red pushed Karen's door open with a quick kick, too efficient to even make a sound.  
Oh shit, Frank had a tough stomach but even for him the sight of Kevin Page was a bit revolting. The kid's face was destroyed, beaten up and cut open in too many places to hold itself together. The blood was dripping around him, still fresh, and as he turned around Castle almost forgets to put his gun up.  
And oh god the smell.  
"Who the hell are you?" The voice was shaky, young and too sweet to come from a fucking corpse.  
"A friend" Replied Frank before emptying a clip into the boy.  
Usually he would just go for the head. Right now it felt better to be safe than sorry. Once the kid fell down, Red ran towards the bathroom door, putting a hand against it.  
"Karen, it's us"  
"Matt?" Her voice was a few tones higher as the sound of her hands struggling to unlock the door filled Frank with a sense of victory. Not missing the name by a mile. Murdock. It didn't even surprise him. Then he glare at the body, now looking twice as bad.  
"Stay there for a second, Karen" Call Frank, glaring at Red even if the other couldn't see it. "Red, why don't you get inside with her for a second?"  
The devil nodded, not before his hand went up, long fingers dragging the mask off his face. Frank breath got caught for a second, if anything out of surprise. Logically speaking, Matt knew Castle was not dumb, he heard the name therefore he put two plus two together. The devil also knew the other vigilante couldn't care less, as a matter of fact he probably heard The Punisher's heart not reacting because...Well, because it made plenty of sense. But, seeing his lawyer face was something different. One of those weird moments where the gears seem to get stuck inside of Frank's head, sparks of broken connections brighting his mind into confusion. Matt's profile was the same as always, his stubble looking out of place with the formality of his posture and the conventionally pretty features. The brown reddish hair was all messed up and Frank found it more like it. The devil was not supposed to look like a pretty choir boy.  
"What are you waiting for, Murdock" Frank finally growled, both snapping himself and Matthew out of it.  
Once he slipped inside the bathroom Frank got to work, pushing Kevin' body to his shoulder, the smell hit him like a cannonball almost knocking him unconscious.  
"Fuck" The words were huffled by a gag that didn't entirely came out. The marine had seen and done some uggy shit before, but this was rankin pretty high up "Jesus christ"  
It took Castle a couple of minutes to compose himself, the body still hanging from his shoulder until he was able to stand straight, getting out of the apartment. "All clean, Red" He said when he managed to get up into the roof, knowing Matt only needed that much "I take care of this, you handle Karen, kay?"  
It was gonna be a long night.  
**  
If Frank didn't force himself to go back to Karen's apartment it was because he wasn't sure he could handle it. The last thing that woman needed was seeing the face of the guy that repainted her studio with her dead brother's blood. So after dropping the body at the nearest morgue- he only did this because, again, this was Karen's family- he rushed to his hide-out with a relentless feeling that if he didn't get rid of the dead boy's smell he was gonna lose it completely.  
Once in the shower he let the water smooth the tension away, it was icy cold but he was used to it. As long as it took the stench. Castle mindlessly wondered how Red was making it, he knew his senses were somewhat enhanced, which definitely accounted for his nose and if the corpse almost knocked Frank out… Whatever, the devil was not his problem. Matthew, he recalled. He smirked at the wall of the shower, now coming out of the adrenaline and putting together just how bizarre it was. The image of the lawyer taking the mask off, his face angled towards Frank, replayed in the Punisher's head. What a bastard.  
Maybe if he wasn't so busy thinking about the devil of hell kitchen he would have heard the latter breaking in. And maybe if Matt had any survival insitics he wouldn't have barged in, announced at that, to the Punisher's hide-out. But of course, if the two of them were in a 5 foot radio of each other a gun was always gonna be fired, they just worked like that. So when Frank stumbled out of the bathroom, in one feet putting on his jeans, and he heard a light step to his left, he scrambled to his right aiming for the nearest gun.  
Matt, who could've easily said something like 'hey don't shot', chose to jump from the shadows, grabbing Frank wrist and twisting it upwards, making a cute whole in the roof.  
"Frank!" Shouted, finally, the lawyer, his face transfigured into a panicked grin "it's me, it's me"  
The marine shook the other man off himself, sending the redhead stumbling backwards. "Don't you know how to knock, Red?"  
"Red?" A second voice asked, silky irony entangled within the words but somehow still in good nature "What kinda nickname is that?"  
Matt, who was still close to Castle, went limb, collapsing against the marine. More than that, he scrambled behind The Punisher, like a scare kid and not the devil of hell's kitchen, and for a second Frank wondered if maybe Murdock had stolen the mask for the night, because his devil would never hide behind him.  
"What's the matter, Matty?" Gurgled out something from the shadows.  
The 'Matty' did for Frank, because, yeah, maybe him and the devil weren't close per se but he didn't like that tone one bit. And he definitely didn't like the man behind him- who was both dangerous and lethal if he wanted to- scare shitless to the point of showing it.  
So he pulled the gun straight, pointing at whatever was coming their way. A pang of panic settled within his ribcage as he felt Murdock's hands clap against his waist, like he needed to stabilize himself.  
"Easy, easy" He groaned, his free arm going around Matthew out of insitic "You gonna walk real slow now, you heard me?"  
A tinted smell came floating to his nose, it wasn't quite as bad as Kevin's Page but the marine could recognize the sweet smell of rotten meat anywhere.  
"Who is this, Matty?" Asked the guy, coming slowly into light. It took him a brief second to point out the similarities, but they were there, covered up with years of bad habits, a nose broken several times and literal death.  
Which, of course, was made clear with what looked like a bullet wound in his chest.  
"I'm someone you don't wanna mess with" Castle answered, the words strong and riddle with anger.  
"That's my kid" Replied the other, shrugging, hands in the air as he walked evenly "I don't mean no harm"  
"Back off, pal" Frank shouldn't be hesitating this much, his finger twitching over the trigger "Red?"  
"Again with that nickname" Observed who Frank assumed was no other than Murdock's father "Matty, this is bullshit I ain't gonna do you nothing"  
His son only made a choked noise, his hands grabbing at Frank's jeans waistline, pulling him back. The punisher groaned, still covering Matt as much as he could, the older man stopped walking, looking at his kid' hands, tightly gripping Frank's clothes. He took a few steps back, dropping his head down a little bit "Matthew, I raised you better than to be using your boyfriend as a human shield"  
It was at that, funny enough, that Matt seemed to be brought down to his own body, behaving like himself again; he let go of Frank, trying to get past Castle but failing as the other circle and arm around his waist, grumbling "Don't be stupid, he' dead," Matt tug at him trying to force himself free "aye, aye, easy, Red"  
"That's not my dad, Frank, my dad died decades ago!" He was snarling, teeth bare like a rabid dog and nose wrinkled in disgust "They are using his body, they--"  
"Matty, it's me, really" Murdock tried to break the space between them in a wimp, startling the two vigilantes. The devil's old man reached a hand toward his son, the tip of his finger brushing against Matt's face. Something about it unsettled the Punisher to no end, so he pushed the end of the gun against the oldest Murdock chest, right where the old bullet hole was.  
"Back the fuck off!" He spit all over the man's face as he screamed, Matt stiffen next to him, probably as surprised as Frank for the Punisher' sudden burst of protectiveness.  
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry" The words were, for the first time, directed towards Castle. A smile tugging at the corner of the dead man's mouth, putting his hands back in the air "They woke me, 'kay? Them' wizards, they did some shit to me...But I'm not hurting my own child, and as nice it is to see someone's taking good care of Matty, I be also very grateful if you put that gun away"  
"I don't make the calls, chief" Castle slurred the words, holding Matt tight against his chest, growling a whisper against the devil's ear "You say the word"  
"Don't" Mumbled Matthew, finally making out words that were coherent. Castle let go of him, trusting that the lawyer wouldn't get feral again "What wizards?"  
"I dunno', Matty, they order us to...Look for people" He winced, eyes guilty "Kill people"  
"Kill me?"  
The man grimaced, nodding with effort, Frank let out a sharp breath, ready to pull the trigger. "Kid I'm not killing anybody put that thing down before you blow your fingers off"  
Castle shot once, the bullet racing next to the dead man ear by nothing, Matt made a shuffled noise of annoyance. The zombie flinched, eyes filled with horror "For the love of-- Kay' kay, got it, you know how to handle your toys. But you don't need to cuz I don't want to hurt…"  
"What the hell do you want then?" Barked Castle, knowing that a bullet could fix this problem way quicker.  
The brown eyes glimmered at that, regret and pain flickering making him look alive "Wanna check on my boy"  
Frank didn't buy it. Not for one second, but he was not the one being sold a cotton sugar lie. He glanced at the bastard with horns, checking how his tilted head was more wiry than usual, as if he was registering too much information.  
"He doesn't have heartbeat, does he?"  
Matthew purse his lips, as if concentration was the issue at hand.  
"Okay, we can heard you out"  
***  
It was Murdock's father, Jack- as he presented himself to Castle, like this was gonna take the itch of shutting his brains out or something- who turned on the lights.  
The little house where Frank was staying was not half bad, an open space with a tiny kitchen that even had a proper table to eat in and all- thought, of course, the table was covered in guns, and no big meals were about to go down- the bed where he been sleeping for a couple of weeks was not on the floor, which was always a nice change, and it had actual sheets, also an improvement, so Frank wasn't too thrilled of having two strangers on it. At the end of the day this little show was gonna end up in the punisher looking for a new place to live and he kinda enjoyed this one already.  
After Castle put the guns away, both Jack and Matt took place on the table. Castle put on a shirt in a smooth, fast, movement, too terrified if he blinked for too long the zombie may jump at the devil's neck. Then he leaned against the wall behind his Murdock, glaring at Jack.  
"You happen to have something to drink?" Jack said, probably just to break the silence.  
"Whiskey, " Replied Matt- smelling the open bottle that was resting in Frank's kitchen counter- a twisted smile glowing under the dim light of the kitchen "irish"  
"Ah, good" Jack carried a twin grin, like they were sharing a personal joke "You look good, kid, healthy"  
Frank frowned, looking at the devil. The suit was gone, leaving Matthew with his usual tight white shirt and fancy pants, no tie tho. The red glasses were sliding down his nose and Castle couldn't argue with his old man; the vigilante looked solid. By the exception of his hair, still messy and sticking into every direction. Frank had to handle the urge to smooth it down like he usually did with Junior or Billy when the latter got too drunk to remember he always was supposed to look like a hundred bucks. The problem was, his hands were itching to have something to do, the tension building like a wave about to crash and, eventually, it was gonna come down. He grabbed the back of Matt's chair with his free hand, trying to ground the impulses.  
"You look tense," Jack eyes settled high, clocking with Frank's, studying the stiffness of his body without missing the hand clapped to his son' chair "Marine?"  
Frank raised an eyebrow, unamused "Yes, sir"  
"Figure... You are not putting that down are you?" The question was followed by a nod towards the gun, still solid and heavy in his left hand.  
"No, sir"  
"Don't mind him," Cut them off Murdock, sitting straight, pushing his back against Frank's knuckles, the back of his messy hair tingling lightly as it brushed Castle forearm "I need you to tell me everything you remember about the people that bring you back, dad"  
"That's what we gonna do? I come back from the dead and you want to play cop, kid?" Jack's face flicker with pain, the rejection of his own blood clearing piercing.  
"Just humor me" The tone was smoothly changed, Frank distinguished it as 'I'm the best lawyer in New york only by sheer nerve' type of tone.  
"Matty, I just wanna know about you…" The brown eyes knitted, struggling to understand the situation "Just I tell you everything, kay? But you tell me something about your life, too, is that fair?"  
In any other situation Castle would've shown teeth, barking until Jack Murdock got the message that this was not a negotiation. This wasn't any other situation. The tingling at his forearm was a vivid reminder of that.  
"That's fair" Agree the hot shot lawyer. "Where did you wake up?"  
"An empty warehouse, over 50 bond St park." The words were slurred with a certain edge, as if the memories were hard to convey "Did you finish school?"  
"Of course, first of the class. Went to law school in Columbus afterwards" Jack eyes glow, sharp as he heard the words "You remember anyone in particular, any faces"  
"A lawyer, uh? Should expect that one, I supposed…" He trailed off, eyes searching Matthew's face with intrigue. Frank bite the inside of his cheek, impatience and too tempted to fix the brown mess just to present the most professional version of the man in front of him. Also because Matt moved his head too much, and the constant brushing of the soft mop was starting to twist him up "Two men, a white dude with a bunch of face tattoos, jarhead for the looks of it… Then there was a black guy, clean cut, out of place if you ask me, look more like a ceo than a witch. And… A girl, she looked like that cartoon you like...What was it called, the one with the superhero lady?  
"She-ra" Matt recalled, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.  
"Yeah, yeah, blonde hair, dress like a princess too" He shrugged, out of words "So you still live in hell kitchen?"  
"Mm, yeah, I've been working pro bono around the city. You say they were wizards why?"  
"She did something to me," Jack's voice was unsteady "It's a blur, but there was magic...She was whispering words in another language, chanting I think. There was green light too. Who do you end up with? After I--Umm, Died?  
"An orphanage. Saint Agnes. Stayed there until I was eighteen." He said the words with clear guilt, like it was his fault he ended up in the system and not whoever put a bullet inside his dad. The hair kept on brushing Castle skin, silky but annoying. He gave up, a heavy hand falling top of Matt's hair, smoothing it down. The devil turned around, slightly amused, Frank felt his ears getting hot as his hand finished up manhandling the disaster.  
"You looked like a hedgehog, shut up" He looked back at Jack, ignoring the tilt of Matt's head, as he clearly picked at Frank's heart rate. The older Murdock squinted at the interaction, "How did you find him then?"  
"It's like pull, it just drives me"  
"Well that's not concerning at all" grumbled Frank, rubbing at his chin. "That still doesn't explain why you are not rabid"  
Jack shrugged, pouting like he lacked the words The Punisher was looking for "Why would I?"  
"Every other dead did so," Quickly replied Matthew.  
"Well, I don't feel rabid"  
The devil stayed quiet for a few seconds, eventually standing up, his face tilted towards Castle "We should go check the place out"  
The punisher frowned, looking in between the corpse and the lawyer trying to recall how the hell did he get himself involved with this. 'Cuz I'm an asshole' supplied his brain.  
"Imma steal your son for a second" Frank purr, defiant, grabbing Matthew gently by the elbow, tugging at the devil so he would follow.  
He pushed Murdock inside the bathroom, shutting the door behind them and glaring at the shorter man until he decided to talk.  
"You know I can't see you being pissed, right?" Asked Matt after a second, a sneer on his face.  
Frank needed a lot of willpower not to kill the fucker, instead he took the lawyer by the collar, turning him around until he was smashed against the wooden door "Do you think this is a joke, Murdock?"  
"Are you asking me if I think my dead father walking and talking is a joke, Frank?" Barked the man, the glasses slipping off his nose, crashing against the tile floor, leaving the eyes filled with tears exposed "Fuck, just--"  
Frank let go almost immediately, an angry huffled leaving his mouth as he crouched down to take the slim glasses in between his rough hands. The red lenses flicker with the shitty fluorescent lighting. "Come on, Red" He said, throat thick with guilt, slipping the lenses back into his face, fingers lingering against the wet cheekbones. The sight of the wrinkled collar made him wince so he fixed it as well, not without some shame "Is okay"  
"No is not, it's inhumane, is…" Whatever he planned to say next, he kept it to himself, pushing his head against the door, a hard thumb making Frank grimace "I don't know…"  
"I follow your lead, how about that?" Asked Frank, putting his hands at Red's shoulders, holding them with more force that needed "If anything goes sur I take care of it" Matthew nodded, his head cocking to the left, Castle scoff, pushing his knuckles softly against the man's cheek "I'm not lying you bastard"  
"I know"  
***  
Things went to shit quicker than expected. Which, in perspective, shouldn't have been that surprising.  
They didn't even make it out of the bathroom before Jack Murdock jumped them. Frank hand was already pulling at the door handle when Matthew breath got caught "Wait"  
But it was too late, Jack Murdock kicked the door from outside, pushing Castle and therefore Matt like bowling pines. Frank's head met the end of the toilet, the hit hard enough to open skin that gushed blood all over the seat.  
"Mattyyy?" Asked Jack, slurring the word, Castle moved without thought, jumping to his knees and tackling the dead man thru the doorway. They crashed against the floor, Jack's nails digging at Frank's back. The zombie finally set one of his hands free, a left hook striking Castle's jaw hard enough to make him roll to a side. The dead scrambled up, crawling towards the bathroom "Mattyyy!"  
The punisher, with his head still spinning, pushed himself to his knees, strong arms grabbing the zombies legs and twisting him around. The gun was on his hand before he could measure the situation through, his finger grazing the trigger as he looked down into Jack's face, eyes widened in panic and bloodshot from adrenaline. In a fraction of a second Frank was grateful for all the little differences between this man and Matt, doubting he would've been able to pull the trigger otherwise. Jack managed to scream one last time "Matthew!" before the bullet found the in between of his eyes.  
"No!" The devil was suddenly next to Castle, kicking him off his father, making him fall flat on his back "Fucker!"  
Castle head bounce of the ground, an ugly noise echoing through his ears, skull creeking. With one quick hand movement the devil sent The Punisher' gun flying far away from his reach. Straddling the marine, while punching the hell out of him.  
"Red!" Yelp Frank, confused and pissed off "Stop, damn it"  
"Psychopath" Growl Matt, his close fist striking against Frank's face, he took a couple of good swings as Castle wrestled his way out, restraining the devil off himself, turning them around so he was able to hold both of Matthew's wrists.  
"Stop!" He shout again, shaking the man so he would snap out of it "Fucking christ, stop"  
Matt was breathing like a feral cat, but eventually the hissing turned into grumbling and suddenly a pain sob. Frank let go of him, scrambling back and off the man. Matt did the same, moving backwards, until his back linked with the wall, the bloody fist pushed against his eyes. Castle was panting as well, his face bleeding from the punches and the freaking toilet.  
"Red…" He called, not knowing why. Matt didn't even flinch, still shaking from the sobs.  
Frank looked around, trying to catch the reflection of the glasses somewhere. They were laying next to Jack's body, somehow not broken. Castle stood up, his knees making awful noises as he grasped the frame with two of his fingers, grabbing them and stumbling towards the devil who flinched at his proximity.  
"Sh, let me" Whispered the marine, grabbing Matt's hands and pushing them away from his face, settling the glasses on his nose. The devil' sobbing got stronger, wrapping his hand around Frank's wrist, his fingers pushed against where the Punisher's pulse beat. Castle helped him to his feet, taking a fist full of Matt's white shirt, stabilizing him "I got you"  
The other slump towards him, pressing his forehead against the marine' chest, trembling. Castle was bad at emotions. Always too sloppy to react accordingly, even Maria used to make fun of him for it. For how late he seemed to get the memo sometimes. This was not one of those moments, tho. His arms went tight around the devil's shoulders, one of his hands in the back of Matthew's neck. "Got you" he said the words more softly this time, almost as a promise. 

THE DEVIL 

They found the warehouse with no trouble. Matt, still slightly on-edge by the events that had developed in the past hours. His dad heartbeat still echoing like a ghost in his mind, Frank careful hands brushing against his face as he put the glasses back in place, his heart stuttering as Matt started sobbing.  
It was too much. All too much. So he shut it all down, pressing his face against the Punisher's solid chest, letting the man who he so often call a murder hug him tight.  
Bizarre, that's what it was.  
But, surprisingly easy. Frank's body was strong, secure and amazingly steady, his heart drumming low and present against Matt's ear, the smell of soap, icy shaving cream, gunpowder and blood filling their space.  
It wasn't even awkward once they separated, Castle squeezed the back of Matt's neck, his other hand slapping the lawyers face slightly in the way men like him thought comfort was expressed. Matthew's heart twitched, because his dad used to do the same. His dad, that was now laying on the floor, bleeding out even after being double killed.  
"Let's go" He said, pushing his close fist against Frank's heart once, no force put into it. It surprised him to hear the man's breathing getting caught.  
Matt suit up, feeling the mask heavier than ever. He felt the thick gaze of Castle over his back, as if he would break into pieces at any given minute.  
"I'm okay, Frank" He assure before they got out of the Punisher's van.  
"I know"  
It was a lie. Matt scoffed, opening the door and jumping into the fight without a care in the word. He needed this, he needed to punch some assholes to get the painful piercing pain off. They barged into the place, Frank arm to his teeth and Matt sliding from side to side. They got rid of a couple of minions without making a sound, Frank- in the name of cover up- didn't shot right away.  
Matt heard two single heart beats. Which was… Concerning. He frowned, grabbing Frank's hand as he tried to push past the devil and inside the wider area. Their finger brush, Castle stopping dead on his tracks, squeezing as their hand entangled almost accidentally. Matt heard Frank's clothes wrinkling as he cocked his head to the left, the guns in their holters moving too.  
"What is it?" He murmured, leaning close enough his mouth brushed against the devil's ear, hot breath making the hair on Matthew's stuck up.  
"There's only two people"  
"Mmm," Replied Castle, Matt's hear him move, their hands still intertwined, the man probably picking over the edge of the wall. "Let's take our chances"  
Matt nodded, letting his senses paint the picture for him, listening closely to the way the heartbeat and the rush of the stranger's blood echoing against the walls, objects getting caught in the sound and drawing the scene. The two people were still, with the brief ruffle of fabric as they barely moved in their place. It was unsettling. They acted quickly, Matt jumped head first, letting Frank cover his back. Someone heavy and stinking of testosterone ran towards him- but hormones were not the only scent in the air, a clear tinge of decaying flesh filled the space, almost knocking Matthew out. Castle took care of it before the devil could even land a punch, two bullets right into the heart by the sound of it.  
And then it happened.  
"Frank?"  
It was a sweet voice, a woman not older than thirty, calling the punisher with a tenderness Matt had only heard in Karen's own voice. The drumming of Frank's heart, always steady and strong, picked up, stuttering and doubling in sound. Blood rushing into a quick shock of adrenaline, the smell of tears filling the air, Matt even catch the sound of Castle's jaw clenching, hands closing into a fist as his guns fall to the ground, bouncing against the cement with a metalic blared.  
Matt didn't know what Maria Castle sounded like, he heard the story but in difference to Karen of Foggy never got a chance to know her face. The only idea he got of her was what little he gathered.  
Nonetheless there was no mistaking it  
"Frank" He echoed Maria's words, grabbing the punisher by the leather trench coat, waiting for a blow to the head for having such a nerve, but it never came. Castle stayed still, his heart beating as fast as a mouse. Matt guessed Maria must be a few feet away from them, her weight perched into a metal table, making the legs of it creek ever so slightly. She was probably skinny, the sound of her clothes sifting around her body giving away a slender figure, nothing strong and dangerous like his father. But, it didn't matter. Matthew was aware of this, she may as well be the weakest person in all hell kitchen but if she wanted to- and she will- kill Frank Castle, he was gonna let her. "Frank, don't lose it on me right now"  
Maria jumped off the table, light feet meeting the ground. "Frank?" Her voice was charged with happiness and yearning, she was racing towards them and Matt didn't know what to do. Except, he stood in front of Castle, in the same way the punisher had done before for him- only that Matthew was the one who chose to hide behind the man and that his was very very fucking different.  
"I'm sorry, Maria, but are gonna need you to stay there, is that okay?" His voice was one of negotiation, as lawyer up as he could possibly get. Maria stuttered, stopping on her track, her heart flattening, confused. He felt Frank ready to move, his muscles contracting to push him the hell out of his way, so he reached out and hand against Frank's chest- right over his heart. If the facts are against you, argue the law. "Now I know you don't want to harm anyone, okay? But there's some very messed up people who have other ideas. You met them, right?"  
The woman was still trying to find her words, her heart hitched at this total stranger coming in between her and her husband. But he couldn't let Frank die. Even if that would make his job a lot more easy. Even if that's what Castle wanted. He simply couldn't. Frank put a hand over his wrist and Matt waited for him to break it, instead Castle just held it, like lifeline.  
"Yes...Lady Amora, she--She told me to wait for you" Maria's words were sloppy, with the same struggle Matt's dad had before "I don't remember why--Frank, what's going on?"  
"They are trying to use you" Started again Matt, putting more of his body as a shield "We don't know why yet, but they want you to hurt people…"  
"Me," Frank voice was husky, rough with pain "they want you to murdered me, baby"  
'Baby' was a word Matthew never thought he would hear the punisher say. It was bittersweet.  
"What? Why would I do that?" She started moving again, her heart resonated like fireworks against her ribcage "And who the hell are you?"  
This bit was definitely directed towards the devil. He set his shoulders square, conveying all his willpower not to move.  
"Red, is okay" Frank mumbled, putting his other hand in Matthew's shoulders, trying to move him.  
"Frank, you don't know that" He wished he didn't sound so desperate.  
"As I said, I take my chances" Matt catched the smile, the way the muscles of his face moved but not enough to be honest.  
He wanted to scream at him, because he was not about to take any fucking chances but...But that was not his place.  
"Frank, what are you wearing?" Maria was in clear distress, now stepping away from the duo "Who is this?"  
Frank moved past the devil, trying to reach for his wife "I'm doing some work, sweetheart. Call it my gear and he…" Matt heard the punisher looking over his shoulder, staring briefly at his way "That's Red, stubborn son of a bitch, you two are gonna like each other"  
Murdock wanted to disappear, and he wished for the millionth time he didn't hear every single thing going with the couples bodys, the blood, the chemicals, the breathing. He didn't want any of it. The ruffled of the clothes as they reach each other, hands meeting and fingers entangling, in softly, organic movements.  
Frank Castle was not supposed to be fragile, vulnerable. The punisher was blood, edge like a knife and ruthless like the end of his guns.  
Matt was too distracted with the events unfolding in front of him, so much he almost missed the steps, two pairs of shoes, one of heels, the latter barely making any sound like a cat.  
"Heartwarming, really" Said the third pair of heels, voice velvety and stunning. He vaguely remembered Foggy asking him how the hell he always knew when women were pretty. His six sense.  
"This is not what we wanted, Amora" Snap one of the men's behind her "We said Iron man or Captain America, not some second degree good for nothing"  
"Patience, my darling" Call the girl, and Matt was certain a wicked smile was plaster across her face "Patience, is what you Midgards lack"  
"Don't Midgard me, witch" Spit out the third voice, voice higher, more on edge "We had a deal, this ain't it"  
"Frank…" Said Maria, Matt listened to the way Castle put his arms around her, keeping her protected.  
Matt, in another hand, simply grin, suddenly feeling overly confident "So what? Asgardian is it then? Gotta say, waited for a bit more"  
"I beg your pardon?" She asked, her voice amused.  
"I'm just saying, your prince almost destroys the city, one would wait for a bit more of you" He walked around them, feeling the gaze of the witch studying him. Frank's gun close enough he could smell them, "Loki, was it? Greasy guy" At that, her heart raced, blood quite literally boiling as if the subject was one to be wiry of. He raised an eyebrow, his grin growing bigger "A friend of yours then?"  
"You could say that" She replied, cold, then she turned to one of the men "Who's the fool with the horns?"  
"The devil" Frank said, and Matt could hear the smile.  
They attacked at the same time. Castle pulling a gun and shutting right into the left man's forehead, Maria screamed behind him, falling to the ground. Matt, on another hand, jumped right against the man of the right, the skinner, lighter and more on-edge of the two. His combat boot met the jaw of the guy, grabbing him by the arm and twisting as he twirling in the air, snapping the arm and sending the man flying to the floor. He stompt on his knee, bone breaking under it. The woman laughed, her hands shutting up in the air and then… Then Matt listened to magic for the first time, it was an electric buzzing, almost similar to wood cracking under fire, it smelled like cyanide, sweet but lethal.  
"Frank!" He shouted, too well aware of what was about to go down.  
Maria, who was on the floor, scrambling away from the scene, suddenly stopped, the heart beat cold. And… And nothing.  
"No!" Frank fall to his knees "No, no, no"  
Matt tilted his head, listening to the now dead woman.  
"What did you do?" He asked, twisting around, not without kicking the man uncounse.  
"Not a thing, Devil" The innocence made Matt flinched "I just put it as it was"  
"You bring her back!" Hollow Frank, grabbing Maria, the sound of his hands gripping at her clothes breaking Matt's heart.  
"I may," She confess "You, see, I've been looking for partners. These two...They just didn't quite cut it. And turns out, this little city of yours is crawling with people like you. Useful, talented, ruthless"  
"You brought back the dead just to get out help?" Matt spit out.  
"No. I brought back the dead to show you just how much I can do... After all, that's the one thing none of you scaped. Dead. Midgards are so fragile for such resilient creatures" Her words were soft, thoughtful "And you are right, Devil, Loki...He's a friend of mine. Dear, at that. And the big guys, those up the tower decided they got to punish him"  
"He nuke the city" Scoffed Matthew, clenching his jaw.  
"He's a tormented soul. Stolen as a baby, ripped from his identity, ripped from his magic" She snapped her tongue "Nothing you two could understand, but...What you do get is leverage. So now, you have two choices; you follow me. Help me get Loki back, and in return you get your people back, even from dead, or…" She giggled as if she found herself amusing "Or I'll kill"  
"Oh, fuck off!" Barked Frank, his gun up and triggered in seconds, the witch gasped, jumping away just in time to avoid a nasty bullet in the head. Matt reacted as well, jumping and kicking her on the head. Or at least trying to do so, she grabbed his foot, dragging him down, the air leaving his lungs as his head crashed against the cement floor. Castle was already moving towards them when she took Matt by the collar, a dagger suddenly in her hand and against the man's throat. Frank feet slipped, stopping sloppy as if he surprised himself not moving forward.  
"The punisher, that's what they call you isn't it?" She inquired, her silky hair against Matt's face, she was stronger than expected and the Devil barely could move "Not very regal what you do...This one, tho, the devil he's very interesting... Don't you agree? What a shame if I had to kill him"  
"You touch him…" Frank's voice was raw, a threat shining thru.  
"And what?" Amora giggled again "Nothing. There's nothing you can do to me, Punisher. But I think what I can do to him...That can hurt you an awful lot"  
"We are not that close" Chime in Matt, scoffing "You may want to find a better leverage, darling"  
"Oh, he cares" She purred, her lips right against Matt's ear, mouth wet and tender "You should see his face…"  
Matt laugh, breathless "Tasteful"  
"I'm observat what can I say," She pushed the dagger, drawing blood out of him, Matt grunted "Now, I'm gonna let your devil go, but you should now; you owe me"  
The dagger disappeared from Matt's throat, he turned around, hearing an electric snap as his fist went through Amora like she was air.  
He didn't like magic. Not one bit.  
"Fuck" He grunted, his hand going over the string of blood. Turning toward the other vigilante, knowing the storm that was about to go down "Frank…"  
"Get lost, Red"  
"What?"  
Frank moved abruptly towards him, pushing the man away and grabbing his face with rage "Get lost!"  
Of all the outcomes this was probably one of the best. The problem was, Matthew didn't want to leave. But… Again, that was not his place.  
"I'm sorry," He murmured as he walked out.  
***  
The next morning was rough. The memories of his dad hammering at his brain, and then there was Frank. The poor bastard.  
He called Karen as he poured himself a cup of coffee, chewing at his bottom lip.  
It was Foggy who picked up. After all he had left the woman at his ex firm partner apartment "Matt??"  
"Hey, Fog" He called, feeling some tension wearing off "Just wanted to check on Karen"  
The sound of ruffled clothes and leather let Matthew know Foggy had slept on his couch, he was walking away from the living room, probably getting inside the kitchen to whisper "She's not doing good, Matt"  
"Mmm," There was not much to be said "It happen to me too"  
"What?"  
"My dad, he came back" He wished his voice didn't shake like that.  
"Matt...I'm so sorry, man, I'm--Do you want us to come over? I can wake Karen up, I can…" He was scrambling for words, the usual love tingling at every syllable.  
"Is okay, Fog" It was a lie, but he rather preferred being alone for now "Frank took care of--He help me"  
"The punisher helped you?" Echoed in disbelief the other lawyer "Doesn't he hate your guts?"  
'oh, he cares', Amora sounded so certain, but Matthew knew better than that. Even after Castle fixed his glasses, like somehow he knew how important it was for Matt to have them on, even after he smooth his hair out as if they were friends and not enemies turned into civil neighbors… He talked with Foggy for a while, telling him about everything that went down, his friend reacted as expected freaking the fuck out. Eventually Matt felt too tired to keep on talking, just thankful he didn't have to work on Sundays.  
"Take care of Karen, okay?"  
"You know I will" Fog said, breathing deeply "Be careful, Matt"  
Matthew hum, non-committal, hanging the phone just in time to pick on the heartbeat in his roof. The steady, control heart he had learned to identify anywhere. The boots were pacing around, as if the man was not sure if he wanted to barge in or not. Matt made the decision for him, walking up the stairs, and opening the rusty door.  
"Frank?"  
"She's dead" Frank said, voice harsh. "The witch. I kill her"  
Matt nodded. Of course he did.  
"Okay"  
"Thought I let you know" Frank was already moving towards the fire scape, but he stopped, shifty "Took your old man to the morgue"  
Matthew nodded again, breathing the cold morning air and rubbing his face "Thank you"  
Castle nodded, feet already on the move when Matt felt the urge to keep him in place but… "I just made coffee"  
He paid attention to the other vigilante's reaction, his heart calm and his breathing softly going slower, thinking. Eventually Frank changed direction, tentative steps in Matt's direction, he brushed past him, ready to go into the apartment when the devil held his wrist, fingers pushing at his pulse "Frank…"  
"I'm fine" Groaned the other, Matt didn't even bother to catch the lie.  
"But you don't have to"  
Castle took a sharp breath, letting a breathless laugh out "Then what?"  
Matt shrugged, smelling the salty tears and feeling the shuttering. He closed the space between them, his arms going around Frank's waist and hugging without much thought, head resting against the other shoulder. The punisher stuttered for a second, the blood rushing faster, nervous as he wrapped his arms around Matt's shoulders, for a few seconds before one hand went to his head, smoothing his hair in almost a nervous tic. The tears were heavy but Matt didn't flinch. Didn't dare to move, only rubbing Castle's back, trying to smooth out the pain, his mouth press slightly against Frank's neck as he muttered, wishing it could be a promise "I got you"


End file.
